Rebirth of the Thunder God

-KABOOOOM!

The combined energy from Namgung Hui's hands exploded, crushing space itself as it spread out.

A bizarre phenomenon that returned any substance in front of it to nothingness.

Namgung Hui trembled at the sight.

At the power of the stance, which was stronger than he had imagined.

And it wasn't just Namgung Hui who was trembling in awe; Attendant Hwang, who was facing him, was also the same.

He trembled slightly and asked Namgung Hui.

"Wh-What is the name of the martial art you just performed?"

"Limitless Divine Art."

The name of the martial art that had come out without him even realizing it.

But since it was an extremely fitting one, Attendant Hwang also smiled and nodded his head.

"Very, very excellent. On top of that, the qualifications of a member, a member, are more than enough..."

Thud.

Attendant Hwang's body tilted as it was.

The fact that he had been holding his breath until now was unbelievable, as his body was a mess.

His arms were gone, and of his lower body that had supported his torso, only his right leg remained. His chest was also hideously exposed with a cut surface.

No blood flowed.

As if everything had been erased by the Limitless Divine Art.

Adjutant Song, who had belatedly come to his senses at the unrealistic sight, opened his mouth.

"Attendant Hwang!"

He had even left his post while exchanging blows with Mungchi and had rushed over in a hurry.

Judging by his expression, it seemed he couldn't believe Attendant Hwang's death.

But no matter how much he fumbled with Attendant Hwang's corpse, the warmth of the dead did not return.

"Did Attendant Hwang really die...? So in vain?"

"What's so in vain? I also fought with all my might. Originally, in a battle between masters, the winner can be decided in a single move."

Originally, the more seasoned a master was, the easier it was to read the opponent's capabilities.

If so, there were many times when the decisive move was made quickly.

The case of Namgung Hui now was such a case.

He had no choice but to throw such a decisive move because his own body condition and the surrounding situation were not favorable.

The result was the infinitely satisfactory outcome of the enemy's death.

But Namgung Hui's situation was not easy either.

Even his body, strengthened by the Heavenly King Pill, found it difficult to endure, and now he was in a state where his body was so weakened that he could not even perform the Sword Pill.

If he hadn't taken the Heavenly King Pill in advance, it was a situation where his Ki and blood would have twisted, and he would have vomited blood.

Although his body was not originally weak, the newly developed Limitless Divine Art had brought a huge burden as much as its power.

'Aigoo, my body... I'm going to die. I'm going to die. But it's not over yet, so I can't collapse like this.'

He wanted to lie down in a '大' shape and fall asleep right now.

But there was still the Embroidered Uniform Guard called Adjutant Song in front of him, and the remnants of the Mad Wind Group, who had now arrived right in front of him, were waiting for their turn.

He squeezed out his strength and approached Adjutant Song and asked.

"Hey. Adjutant Song. What on earth is a fox bead that the Hoicheon Association has come all the way to this remote place? If you just tell me the reason properly, I'll send you off without pain."

"...You've even found out about the existence of the fox bead. Your resourcefulness is better than I thought. But it's not you who decides whether to send me off or not, but us!"

"So full of..."

Namgung Hui, in the middle of speaking, quickly squeezed out his internal energy and performed a phantom-like movement at the killing intent he suddenly felt from the back of his head.

'This stealth. It's an assassin...!'

There were not many beings who could approach while deceiving even Namgung Hui's Ki sense.

As it was, if they could deceive Namgung Hui's sharpened Ki sense, it had to be seen that they had learned a special martial art.

Of course, since Namgung Hui's Ki was weakened now, he couldn't detect it as sensitively as before.

Still, considering Namgung Hui's realm, the fact that they had deceived him alone made it certain that they were great assassins.

Sasasasak.

The assassins who appeared all at once were four in total.

Seeing their agility and stealth, he sensed that the ones who had planted the plant colony on the back of Mungchi's head were the assassins in front of him.

'To think the Hoicheon Association even tried to capture Mungchi. They're really guys I have to see the end of.'

Although Namgung Hui's will was strong, his body did not follow his mind as he wished.

The bloody battle with the onmyoji and the flood dragon.

The life-and-death struggle with the warrior of the Eastern Depot.

Each and every one was a brawl that he had no choice but to fight to the point of exhaustion.

Of course, if he had fought with more time, he would not have had to push himself so hastily.

But the fact that the more time was dragged on, the more disadvantageous it was for Namgung Hui, did not change.

Even now, the number of the Mad Wind Group surrounding the area was increasing in a flash.

-Brother. Are you still far?

-Wait a little. I'm almost done.

The task that Namgung Hui had requested of Jang Hwang.

It was to break the barrier that was binding Mungchi's power.

It was unknown what kind of renowned sorcerer had set up the barrier, but not only the spirit beast Mungchi, but also the six-tailed fox could not properly exert their power.

Perhaps it was the work of the dead onmyoji.

Because he had set up something and had entered the village late.

If it had been a barrier art of the Central Plains, Jang Hwang would not have struggled like this.

Still, Jang Hwang had almost dismantled the barrier.

Namgung Hui squeezed out even the strength he had used for breastfeeding and faced the assassins.

-Kang, kang, kang!

Flash, flash.

Sword lights flashed, and blades rushed towards Namgung Hui from all directions.

A sword came out from an unexpected place, so much so that the word 'all directions' was put to shame.

Did the assassins have wings?

The ever-changing attacks had reached a point where it was dizzying just to watch.

Namgung Hui, having no choice, took out the secret weapons he had been saving one by one.

Two daggers made of ten-thousand-year-old cold iron from the Tang family.

An unidentified bracelet he had obtained from Jo Seongho's secret warehouse before.

And the Sword Spirit he had obtained from the Imperial Palace's secret repository was so special that the word 'secret weapon' was put to shame.

-Sword Spirit. I'll entrust the Thunder God Sword to you now. Go ahead and run wild.

[Alright! I need to be active for the first time in a long time too.]

Namgung Hui threw the Thunder God Sword towards the assassin in front of him.

And after that, he scattered two daggers in the air and turned his body.

A look as if he were throwing away all his weapons in an instant.

Originally, a swordsman never threw away his sword.

Because the sword was something they cherished more than their lives.

But Namgung Hui did not like such empty formalities.

He just took what was practical.

And that was the same for the assassin who was aiming for Namgung Hui's life.

The assassin who was behind him quickly rushed at Namgung Hui, who had become bare-handed in an instant.

He swung his sword fiercely, aiming for a vital point like a beast aiming for its prey.

Hwik!

He narrowed the distance as much as possible with a minimum of movement.

As if he had performed a phantom-like movement, no, the art of shrinking the earth, a sword was drawn in front of Namgung Hui's Adam's apple.

A gap where it was questionable if Namgung Hui could even raise his arm to block it.

But Namgung Hui, even in this threat, did not raise his arm until the end.

Instead.

-Kaang!

Something white shot out from Namgung Hui's body and defended his neck.

It was the bracelet that Namgung Hui had brought from Jo Seongho's secret warehouse.

Although it was called a bracelet, it moved according to Namgung Hui's will, and its form also changed freely.

Although he had used it like a shield before, it could also be used as a protector like this.

He had been in a regrettable situation, having given the precious garment to Beak Seolhwa, but it was a relief that the utility of the bracelet was more outstanding than he had thought.

Still, he did not regret giving it to Beak Seolhwa.

'I hope that precious garment properly protected Seolhwa this time. Of course, it would be best if such a thing didn't happen at all.'

Namgung Hui quickly shook off his idle thoughts and stared at the assassin in front of him.

He showed a rather flustered look as his decisive blow was blocked.

And for good reason, he had struck a seemingly defenseless neck, but what returned was a strong repulsive force.

On top of that, if the recoil had been small, it would have been different.

His wrist even ached, and his breath was taken away for a moment.

In a battle between assassins, life and death came and went in such a single breath.

-Peo-eok!

The bare-handed Namgung Hui was strong.

Because his roots were originally that of a fist user.

He burst the assassin's heart in one go with a lightning fist.

And so, after dealing with one assassin, when he turned around again, the tide of battle had changed a lot.

The Thunder God Sword that Namgung Hui had thrown was flying freely as if the Sword Spirit were its own body.

Of course, one of the assassins was being chased here and there in its path.

[Hahaha! Try to run away well~ Is this all an assassin can do? It's getting boring~]

The assassin's body was already full of small wounds.

His breathing was also becoming labored, and it seemed that even that breath would soon be cut off.

And the other two assassins had already fallen into a state of being unable to fight.

And in their chests, respective daggers were deeply embedded.

Of course, they were not assassins who would be hit by daggers so easily.

It was just that the opponent was bad.

On top of that, since the daggers had not just flown in a straight line, the assassins were flustered by the trajectory of the daggers they had never seen before and had offered their chests.

If so, how did the daggers draw a strange trajectory?

It was because Namgung Hui had been controlling these daggers with the Two Principles Heart Art while facing the other assassin.

The Two Principles Heart Art was not just performing martial arts with both arms, but a martial art that divided the left and right brain and operated two heart arts at the same time.

It wasn't for nothing that Namgung Hui had become defenseless for a moment.

Because he had been controlling these two daggers, he had exposed an opening to the assassin who was behind him.

Of course, since all of this was under Namgung Hui's calculation, it could be said that it was all an intended performance.

[Gotcha!]

Puhak!

Simultaneously with the Sword Spirit's shout, the sound of flesh being torn was heard.

Blood dripped from the Thunder God Sword, which had accurately pierced the heart.

Now, all four assassins' breaths had been cut off.

With this, Namgung Hui had done his part.

[Hui. I did well, right? I even wiped off all the blood and came back.]

-Yes. You're praiseworthy. Praiseworthy.

Namgung Hui, while recovering the Thunder God Sword, shifted his gaze towards where Mungchi and Jang Hwang were.

There, Mungchi, who had now returned to his original form, and the six-tailed fox, who was sending out flames here and there, were playing an active part.

Occasionally, Dancheong and Jeok Hwarin, who were performing fire attacks in the gaps.

Although Dancheong was honestly not an outstanding master, his breathing matched Jeok Hwarin's, and they were subduing the bandits of the Mad Wind Group one by one.

Lastly, Jang Hwang, as befitting the sect leader of the Maoshan Sect, performed a strange sorcery.

Resurrection of the Dead.

As if to revive the dead.

He made the corpses stand up and fight.

"Shit! What is this! How can a dead guy be revived!"

"W-Wicked art! This is a real wicked art!"

"M-Mommy!"

Even if they were bandits, it seemed they looked for their mothers when they were terrified.

That was how much the sorcery that Jang Hwang had performed was on a different level.

'The Maoshan Sect was said to be skilled in corpse art. Is that also a kind of corpse art?'

Although it was different from the corpse art that Namgung Hui knew, since it was performed by Jang Hwang, he didn't particularly doubt it.

Even if he had learned a demonic art, the person was important, not the martial art he had learned.

Besides, as far as Namgung Hui knew, there was no martial art among the demonic arts that made corpses rise and fight like that.

Rather, since the Blood Cult had coveted the corpse art and had annihilated the Jinju Eon family, Jang Hwang's safety might be in danger.

'Now the fight is coming to an end. Still, I had quite a hard time.'

In fact, Namgung Hui had thought that Mungchi alone could face the entire Mad Wind Group.

But the Mad Wind Group, as Mungchi had said, was not a simple bandit group.

The six-tailed fox's fox fire.

Mungchi's monstrous strength.

Jang Hwang's corpse art.

The Sun God disciples' fire attacks.

Each and every one was a potential that could not be ignored.

It had taken quite a long time to face one Mad Wind Group.

And that was probably not all of the Mad Wind Group.

'Well, a victory is a victory. There's no need to think badly of it.'

Since Namgung Hui had regained some of his strength while his allies were fighting, he approached them, who had finished the battle, and spoke.

"Everyone, you've worked hard. No one's hurt, right?"

Mungchi and the six-tailed fox, as if they were still out of breath, slowly nodded their heads to answer.

And Jang Hwang, with a benevolent smile, informed him that he was safe.

Now, finally, he shifted his gaze to the Sun God disciples, and Dancheong collapsed with a thud and joked.

"Phew... I almost died and came back to life. No, wait. There was someone who really died and came back to life. Hahaha."

Seeing him even joke like that, it seemed he was fine.

Now, only Jeok Hwarin was left.

As Namgung Hui turned his gaze towards her, Jeok Hwarin was holding back her words with an uncomfortable expression.

'Is she hurt somewhere? I'll have to take a closer look.'

And so, the moment Namgung Hui approached.

Jeok Hwarin suddenly grabbed her chest and collapsed towards Namgung Hui.

(End of Chapter)